Plural carton containing separable units



June 2, 1964 E. J. Rlsuccl 3,135,457

PLURAL CARTON CONTAINING SEPARABLE UNITS Filed Jan. 18, 1963 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR EDWARD J. RISUCCI ATTORNEYS.

J1me 1964 E. J. RISUCCI PLURAL CARTON CONTAINING SEPARABLE UNITS FiledJan. 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 9.

INVENTOR EDWARD J. RISUCCI BY a),

kz'ia 4M ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,135,457 PLURAL CARTON CONTAINING SEPARABLE UNlTSEdward J. Risucci, 3751 86th St, Jackson Heights 72, N.Y. Filed Jan. 18,1963, Ser. No. 252,457 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) This invention relates toplural cartons and, more particularly, to plural cartons of separableunits fabricated from a unitary blank.

It is well known in the art to fabricate plural cartons from a singleblank. However, these blanks have been rather complex andnon-symmetrical in design, requiring several punching and assemblyoperations.

Accordingly, it is a broad object of the present invention to provide acarton of the character described which can be fabricated from a unitaryblank of simple and symmetrical design.

The blank consists of two separable units squared out on either side ofcentral perforated tear line. A pair of front rectangular panels areseparably connected by the perforated tear line. Adjacent the frontpanels are a pair of inner side panels defined from the front panels byscore lines formed during the die punching operation. A pair ofrectangular panels are attached to and defined from the inner sidepanels by score lines. A pair of outer side panels depend from the rearpanels defined by score lines, and tabs are connected to the outer sidepanels and are also defined by score lines therefrom. End slots areconnected to all of the panels and defined therefrom by score lines.Adhesive means are located on the tabs and several of the end flaps toallow the carton units to be securely closed. Finally, the outer pair ofside panels have openings to allow egress of the contents of theseparable units.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the front wall panels areconnected by a single ply accordion flap having a perforated score lineat its center. Furthermore, two of the diagonally disposed end flapsdepending from the front panels have depending side flaps extendingsomewhat beyond the width of the accordion flap. When the carton is inits assembled condition, the side flaps extend into the separable unitsbetween the end flaps and panels, and when the units are separated, theside flaps serve as a cover for the openings in the side panels.

Thus, it is a more specific object of the present invention to provide aplural carton whose units are securely attached, but may be detached bytearing along a perforated score line for individual use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pluralcarton having an accordion flap to allow a certain amount of variantmovement.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a carton ofthe character described in which the units, when separated, may bemaintained and utilized completely independent of each other.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a pluralcarton of separable units having openings for each unit to permit egressof the contents, and a flap to cover the openings when they are notbeing used.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an inventionof the character described which will be inexpensive to manufacture,easy to assemble, and yet reliable and efficient to a high degree inuse.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawingswhich form material parts of this disclosure. The invention accordinglyconsists in the features of construction, combination of elements, andarrangement of parts, which will be ex- 3,135,457, Patented June 2, 1964emplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a unitary blank embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the plural carton of FIG, 1,partially assembled and partially cut away;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the plural carton of FIG. 1, fullyassembled and illustrating the longitudinal movement of the separableunits;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the units separated along theperforated tear line and the side flaps in an extended position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective View of one of the separable units showing theside flap covering the opening in the side panel;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a blank embodying a modified form of theinvention;

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of one of the separable units of theembodiment of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown aunitary blank 10 which may be die cut by any well known means. The blankconsists of a pair of identical and symmetrical left and right frontpanels 11 and 12 disposed upon opposite sides of a single ply accordionflap 13 having a tear line 14 coincident with the axial central line ofthe blank. Said panels are generally rectangular in shape and aredefined from said accordion flap by score lines 15 and 16. Symmetricalleft and right inner side panels 17 and 18 are located outwardly of saidfront panels 11 and 12 and are defined therefrom by score lines 19 and20. Said inner side panels are also generally rectangular in shape,being the same length but of substantially lesser width than said frontpanels.

symmetrically disposed left and right rear panels 21 and 22 are locatedoutwardly of said inner side panels 17 and 18 and are defined therefromby score lines 23 and 24. Said rear wanels are generally rectangular inshape and are of the same dimensions as said front panels. Left andright side panels 25 and 26 are symmetrically disposed and are dependentfrom said inner panels, and defined therefrom by score lines 27 and 28.Outer side panels 25 and 26 are substantially identical to inner sidepanels 17 and 18 dimensionally.

Diagonally disposed within said outer side panels are openings 29 and 30to permit egress of the contents of units.

Left and right end tabs 31 and 32 are attached to said outer side panels25 and 26 and defined therefrom by score lines 33 and 34. Outer sideflaps 25 and 26 have depending end flaps 25a, 25b, and 26a, 26brespectively, defined from said flaps by the respective score lines 35,36, 37 and 38. Similarly said inner panels 21 and 22 have correspondingend flaps 21a, 21b, 22a, and 22b defined therefrom by score lines 36,37, 38 and 39; and inner side panels 17 and 18 have end flaps 17a, 17b,18a and 18b defined therefrom by score lines 40, 41, 42 and 43,respectively.

Said front panels 11 and 12 have diagonally disposed end flaps 44 and 45equal in width to said panels and having respective side flaps 46 and 47depending from said end flaps. Said side flaps are of somewhat greaterwidth than the width of accordion flap 13 and hence the end flaps 48 and49, the other end fiaps depending from said front panels are of asomewhat lesser width than said panels.

An adhesive, such as glue, may be placed on the surface of the end tabsand end flaps 44, 45, 4-3 and 49.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the blank is folded over so that said front andrear panels and said side panels are in parallel relation, the adhesivesurface of said end tabs being adhered to the inner surface of saidfront panel. The end tabs are then folded as shown in FIG. 2, said innerside tab 47 being placed over tabs 25b and 17b and below tabs 21b and49. Similar assembly enclosure operation is apparent for the rest of thecarton. The accordion ply is unhampered in its movement as illustratedby FIG. 3 and the separable units are accordingly capable oflongitudinal movement therewith.

When it is desired to separate the units, the user need simply pull onthe two units, thus causing the accordion fold to flatten and thentearalong the perforated tear line. This affords the additional feature forproviding a leverage means to allow gripping for easy separation of theunits. The flap 47 (FIG. 7) serves as a closure for opening 30 duringstorage.

Referring to the modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 8, thereis seen a unitary blank 100 comprising two symmetrically placedseparable unit assemblies consisting of left front and right panels 110and 12%) connected to left and right inner panels 210 and 220 by leftand right inner side panels 170 and 180 being defined from each other byscore lines 23d, 190, 200 and 249. End tabs 310 and 320 are connected tosaid inner panels by outer side panels 250 and 260 being definedtherefrom by score lines 330, 270, 230 and 340. Said outer side panelshave diagonally disposed openings 2% and 300.

Said inner and outer side panels and said inner panels havecorresponding end flaps 250a, 250b, 2160, 216b, 170a, 170b, 180a, 180b,220a, ZZ-llb, 26th: and 26%; defined from said panels by score lines356, 3643, 361M, 370, 380, 380a, 390, 400, 410, 42% and 430. Said frontpanels 110 and 120 have depending end flaps t), 51, 52 and 53, all beinga width coincident with said panels and being defined therefrom by scorelines 54, 55, 56 and 57. Said panels are separably united by aperforated tear line 140.

The assembly is in a similar manner to that of the preferred embodiment,as shown in FIG. 11, except there is no accordion flap present, nor arethere any side flaps extending into the adjacent unit.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principles ofthe invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

l. A plural carton of separable units fabricated from a unitary blankcomprising a pair of front wall panels connected by a single plyaccordion fiap; a pair of rear wall panels connected by a pair of innerside panels to said front panels; a pair of outer side panels connectedto said pair of rear wall panels and having openings diagonally disposedon said blank; tabs depending from said outer side panels; end flapsdepending from said panels whereby the ends of the separable units maybe completely enclosed; side flaps depending from diagonally disposedend flaps attached to said front panels; whereby when the blank is inits assembled condition said side flaps extend between said end flapsand said panels and when the units are separated said side flaps areused to close said openings in said outer side panels.

2. The invention according to claim 1, said panels sides, flaps, andtabs being defined from each other by score lines.

3. The invention according to claim 1, said accordion flap having acentral perforated tear line to allow emcient detachment of theseparable units.

4. The invention according to claim 3, said end tabs being glued to saidfront panels allowing free movement of said accordion flap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,046,484 Ringler July 7, 1936 2,771,234 Hultin Nov. 20, 1956 2,973,130Cottrill Feb. 28, 1961 2,983,421 Turpin May 9, 1961 3,048,321 SanfordAug. 7, 1962

1. A PLURAL CARTON OF SEPARABLE UNITS FABRICATED FROM A UNITARY BLANKCOMPRISING A PAIR OF FRONT WALL PANELS CONNECTED BY A SINGLE PLYACCORDION FLAP; A PAIR OF REAR WALL PANELS CONNECTED BY A PAIR OF INNERSIDE PANELS TO SAID FRONT PANELS; A PAIR OF OUTER SIDE PANELS CONNECTEDTO SAID PAIR OF REAR WALL PANELS AND HAVING OPENINGS DIAGONALLY DISPOSEDON SAID BLANK; TABS DEPENDING FROM SAID OUTER SIDE PANELS; END FLAPSDEPENDING FROM SAID PANELS WHEREBY THE ENDS OF THE SEPARABLE UNITS MAYBE COMPLETELY ENCLOSED; SIDE FLAPS DEPENDING FROM DIAGONALLY DISPOSEDEND FLAPS ATTACHED TO SAID FRONT PANELS; WHEREBY WHEN THE BLANK IS INITS ASSEMBLED CONDITION SAID SIDE FLAPS EXTEND BETWEEN SAID END FLAPSAND SAID PANELS AND WHEN THE UNITS ARE SEPARATED SAID SIDE FLAPS AREUSED TO CLOSE SAID OPENINGS IN SAID OUTER SIDE PANELS.